Australia seek desert glory; Fakhar eyes Test cap

Big Picture

The first Test reinforced a few age-old lessons about cricket in the UAE: dead as the tracks may appear to be, do not jump the gun until both sides have batted once. It may all look dull and dreary halfway into the Test, but a blink and the game springs to life when you least expect it to. Pakistan would certainly vouch for it. Just when statisticians and pundits had begun to check for record double-century opening stands, Australia collapsed dramatically.

The collapse handed the advantage to Pakistan, but they weren't in the mood to take it. A decision to bat on didn't do them any favours. This has now added to the scrutiny around Sarfraz Ahmed's captaincy, and nothing but a Test win in Abu Dhabi can sooth a bruised side that is yet to win a Test in UAE in over two years. There isn't a better time to reverse that, for it would at least give their beleaguered captain some breathing space after a spate of ordinary results, including the ones at the Asia Cup last month.

Australia are just beginning to wriggle out of a crisis under a new leadership group. Justin Langer, the head coach, has been quite vocal about the need to not just be satisfied with what they've achieved so far. This tour has been in the making for three months now, and has its roots in India, where they played a stream of matches against the A sides of South Africa and India. They've even managed to integrate two young Indian domestic spinners into the set up to help prepare them for Tests on dry turners.

Visualisation techniques, spin lessons, simulation, matches - they've all been checked. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and if Dubai was anything to go by, Australia have shown they're up for a fight. Langer will expect much more from his boys if they are to move to the next level and for that, the rest of the batsmen have to show the resolve of Usman Khawaja and captain Paine. This could in many ways direct the course the team takes ahead of a big home summer against India.

Form guide

Pakistan: DLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

Australia: DLLLW

In the spotlight

Fakhar Zaman has played just two first-class games since the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final in 2016-17 that brought him into national reckoning. Since then, he's built a reputation of white-ball destroyer. At the Asia Cup last month, he struggled from what coach Mickey Arthur called a 'confidence crisis.' He's had two weeks to rejuvenate. A finger injury to Imam-ul-Haq means he's set to receive his maiden Test cap. In that final, he made a quickfire 170 not out. Now, against a potent Australia attack, he may have to shelve some of his flamboyance. Can he display another facet to his game?

Even Shaun Marsh will struggle to explain his decade of underachievement since international debut in 2011. Injuries, poor form, and competition may have contributed to him being in and out of the side, but even that can't explain why he has played only 33 Tests. Now, with Steven Smith and David Warner serving bans, there is an opportunity for him to make the No. 3 spot his own for the immediate future. Scores of 7 and 0 in Dubai - he was out nicking behind in both innings - will add to his itch to make an impression before the bigger challenges later in the summer. Against an unrelenting attack, the pressure isn't likely to be any less, but he'll still have to find a way out, even if it means curbing his natural instinct of looking to drive on the up on docile surfaces.

Team news

Imam's injury means Fakhar is set to become Pakistan's 234th Test cricketer. But Pakistan will be asking two other questions. Bilal Asif's Test initiation with a six-for quickly dissipated after a wicketless show on the final day. This could make them ponder over the inclusion of legspinner Shadab Khan, who has been troubled with a groin strain lately. Also, what of Wahab Riaz, who bowled 27 wicketless overs across two innings? Mir Hamza could come in as a like-for-like replacement, which potentially means two new Test caps for Pakistan.

Pakistan XI: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Babar Azam, 6, Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Mir Hamza/Shadab Khan, 9 Bilal Asif, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Yasir Shah

Marnus Labuschagne failed with the bat, but his legbreaks were more than useful. This could earn him another opportunity, even though Matt Renshaw is knocking on the doors for a middle-order berth. They will possibly hand a debut to one of two fast bowlers - Brendan Dogget or Michael Neser - in place of left-arm spinner Jon Holland, who had a forgettable outing in Dubai.

Australia XI: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschangne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland/Ashton Agar/Michael Neser

Pitch and conditions

A time-lapse from three days prior to the game will reveal how the tinge has changed from green right through to biscuit brown on match-eve. The heat will ensure the track will break as the Test progresses, allowing the spinners to come into the game on days four and five. It should be the best for batting early on. No prizes for guessing what the captain winning the toss will do.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan's previous Test win in the UAE came in Abu Dhabi in 2016. Since then they haven't won a Test in the UAE in four attempts, losing three - one to West Indies and two to Sri Lanka - and drawing the first Test of this series in Dubai.

• Azhar Ali needs 59 runs to go past Misbah-ul-haq as the batsman with second highest Test runs in the UAE, He is going through a bit of a lean patch of late though, averaging just 17.10 from this last 10 Test innings.

• Nathan Lyon averages a poor 84.85 from three Tests in the UAE. Elsewhere in Asia, he's taken 80 wickets at an average of 27.01.

• Mohammad Abbas is one wicket away from being the joint-fastest Pakistan pacer to 50 Test wickets.

Quotes

"Can't say if the pressure will be more on Pakistan or Australia. We are the home side and obviously, people expect us to win and so there is pressure. Having said that, these are favourable conditions for us and we have to make the most of it."
Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali knows there's plenty to play for

"It's one of those things, you can get nailed for it either way, so it can be a hard job, but I'm sure they know what they're trying to do, we certainly know what we're trying to do, and what matters to us is what's inside our four walls and I'm sure Sarfraz and Pakistan are the same."
Australia captain Tim Paine already knows all too well the pressures of captaincy